Your Unpopular Red Dwarf Opinions

[Piplup2003]

The title says it all. What opinions do you have about Red Dwarf that no-one else seems to agree on?

For me, it’s that VIII is my second favourite series (behind V) and that I prefer Chloë over Claire as Kochanski (this may be partially influenced by the fact that I’ve met Chloë).

And please, no arguing.

Topic

[Spaceworm Jim]

I think my unpopular opinion is that Red Dwarf needs jokes and a studio audience (just not shit jokes or the laughter from the audience too loud in the mix). There, I said it. Phew! This bravery thing is hard work.

[bloodteller]

my unpopular opinion is the “red alert” stuff isn’t funny at all…i’ve never got why that’s one of the most often mentioned scenes, when there’s so much stuff that’s way way better

[Ben Saunders]

It’s well-delivered, and the idea of having to change the bulb on the alert sign is not only ridiculous, but also indicative of how low-tech and shambolic Starbug is, and it provides a bit of gritty realism to the scenario.

The red alert gag is one of the most accessible and yet fundamentally “Red Dwarf” gags. It’s a gag you’d only really hear in Red Dwarf, it is VERY Red Dwarf, and it takes little to no setup or explanation of the show to understand. There are other, funnier gags which are 1) longer, 2) require more setup, 3) require greater knowledge of the characters and their situation, 4) just aren’t as snappy, 5) are more generic “gags” that could come from any show, etc, etc. Red Alert is quickfire, easy to digest, encompasses the show, and delivered well, which makes it very clippable, a very easy thing to show your mate, or put in a documentary/clip show, to get people laughing quickly and getting what it’s all about.

These days I use the opening to Stoke, or explain the Sensational Reverse Brothers bit if I want to get somebody interested. Neither are particularly indicative of the show, but they’re funny and absurd, high concept etc, the kind of thing that would make somebody go “oh that sounds like an interesting, non-typical show.”

[Dave]

These days I use the opening to Stoke

Also known as the M6 Junction 15.

[International Debris]

One thing I can say in defence of the red alert joke is, to this day, I can still remember the first time I saw it. I don’t remember much of my pre-teen Red Dwarf viewings, but I will always recall laughing so hard at that. It might be overplayed, but as a gag it’s just superb. Brilliantly written, nicely surprising, and perfectly performed.

[si]

These days I use the opening to Stoke

Also known as the M6 Junction 15.

• applauds *

[Ben Saunders]

I’m applauding both Dave’s gag and si’s proper use of doublequotes

[Ian Symes]

I’ve just seen a guy on Twitter ranking all the series/specials of Red Dwarf, and he put Series VIII one ahead of Series V. It takes all sorts.

[si]

If its the same as I saw, he put The Promised Land bottom, one behind Back To Earth.

[Dave]

We need a new G&T poll now to see where Promised Land falls.

[Ian Symes]

You’ll find out on February 15th 2023.

[bloodteller]

in response to the above about using the “Red Alert” gag to introduce somebody to Red Dwarf, i can honestly say if that was the first Red Dwarf thing i saw, i’d never have watched the show at all. it’s not like i don’t get the joke or anything, i just think it’s really not funny and a particularly poor example to introduce someone to the show.

when i started watching Red Dwarf with my boyfriend a while ago, we started on The End and that got him pretty into the show. surely that’s a good place to start, the opening of that is a good scene with some jokes and stuff

[Ian Symes]

I don’t agree with the dislike for the light bulb gag, but I will say that it’s not even the best light fitting based joke in that episode.

[Quinn: Clochebusters World Champion]

You’ll find out on February 15th 2023.

We might not all live that long. YOU might not live that long. Is it really worth the risk?

[Pete Part Three]

I don’t agree with the dislike for the light bulb gag, but I will say that it’s not even the best light fitting based joke in that episode.

I mostly agree, but the other one is more about the delivery of it than the (rather silly) construction.

[Renegade Rob]

To me the actual “red alert” bulb gag isn’t even as funny as when they first turn on the blue alert and Kryten just sort of points at it. It’s all in service to the characters, with Rimmer insisting on the formalism and Kryten’s bemused pointing at the alert bringing it home. The “red alert” follow-up is just the icing on the cake.

[tombow]

Well, “it does mean changing the bulb” is one of my all time RD moments. I always chuckle just thinking about it.

[Moonlight]

I like the sex change routine in TPL, and I think the controversy over it was really just it seeming like it was walking on dangerous ground. Every trans friend / sibling I’ve talked to about it or watched it with (so far) agrees with me that none of the jokes are at the expense of trans people and it’s just a cute little scene where Lister and Cat get into a pissing contest over who would be hotter as a woman.

I can’t argue that you aren’t uncomfortable obviously but I really don’t think there’s anything overtly offensive there.

I’m not saying it’s a particularly great scene or anything but I got at least a laugh out of the initial suggestion, and liked the idea that Kryten would think this would go over well with either of them.

[Flap Jack]

The negative/mixed reaction to that scene is I think more about it making you go “Wait, is this offensive/about to get offensive?” rather than making you go “Hey, this is offensive!”.

The “sex change” terminology and the false equivalency drawn between gaining the ability to give birth and “becoming a woman” are both really old fashioned, surface-level-understanding-of-biology things to say, the kind of things that encompass a TERF’s entire view of gender. So it might well put you on edge that the episode is about to get overtly transphobic, even though it ultimately doesn’t. (Particularly if you remember the “Kryten has no penis, therefore is a woman” nonsesne from Series VIII.)

Also, every time someone brings up this scene I’m reminded how weird it is for Kryten to suggest that Cat needs to become a woman to give birth when Lister has already given birth as a man in canon.

[Ian Symes]

I’m obviously glad that trans people you know were ok with the scene, Katydid, but that’s not a universal experience judging by the number of tweets from trans people I saw on the night, who were pretty disappointed and upset.

Personally, I agree that it falls short of saying anything actually offensive, but the outdated language and questionable levels of understanding, as Flap Jack lays out, are enough to make me rather it wasn’t there. It’s just one of those half-thought-through uncomfortable moments that seem to crop up in latter day Dwarf, adding nothing but a distraction from the much much better stuff elsewhere. Especially in the current climate when transphobia is worryingly on the rise, with its figurehead being a comedy writer who I used to adore before he went actually insane, I just don’t want Dwarf to go anywhere near the topic. Let’s face it, the man who once defined a woman as “anyone who doesn’t have a penis” is not a voice we need to hear from on the matter.

[Ben Paddon]

As soon as Kryten said the words “sex change” my whole body tensed up. When he barked “LET ME FINISH” it felt like Doug saying, “Look, you’re going to be uncomfortable, but please put that discomfort to the side for a minute so we can keep doing the joke.”

I didn’t like it. It felt awkward, dated, and I honestly wish they hadn’t done it. It took me a while to loosen up for the rest of the show. Easily the most upsetting, disappointing point of an otherwise fine special.

[Yaron Ru]

I loved the sex change joke as much now as I would have if they had have done it before cancel culture. In fact I just hate cancel culture and it’s entire political and social platform.

Thankfully the CC didn’t come for Red Dwarf but this joke did stir them up a bit. I’m not saying go out and day nasty things to people but I think people ruining humour because they decided that claiming to be offended by it makes them powerful is stupid and has ruined so many things needlessly.

I also thought some of the Taiwan Tony stuff was funny, and the fact that some people got bent out of shape calling him racist was funnier. Racism is evil, cruel and bullying. Taiwan Tony was none of that. The line that says he’s a bit Chinesey was the equivalent of hearing an Asian say that an American is a bit Englishy.

[Flap Jack]

Well, that opinion was completely delusional and offensive, but it did definitely fit the remit of being unpopular, so fair play I guess.

[Jonathan Capps]

It’s really sad that there are snowflakes out there that can’t bear the thought of their words and actions having consequences.

[Ian Symes]

Ah, I suspected Yaron Ru was a bellend, good to have it confirmed.

[Jonathan Capps]

His original screen name was Lawless One, and he was a cunt then too.

[Ian Symes]

The thing is, I learned to identify a bellend with Yaron Ru, I’m not used the cunt roles of Lawless One.

[Quinn: Clochebusters World Champion]

The thing is, I learned to identify a bellend with Yaron Ru, I’m not used the cunt roles of Lawless One.

BRAVO!

[Yaron Ru]

Science is hatespeech, we need to cancel biology immediately. We can’t have anyone else being upset by facts and insulting the people that speak them.

Apparently it’s now wrong to enjoy Red Dwarf jokes and Little Britain, and to dislike cancel culture, ha, that’s a better joke than anything from VIII.

[Jonathan Capps]

I’ve looked back and I don’t see you speaking any facts, just bemoaning ‘cancel culture’ for possibly threatening to not let you laugh at a sex change joke.

[Yaron Ru]

It’s interesting then that if that’s all that was said, insults were warranted. Insults meant to offend the recipient are used by those that claim to be offended by other people’s opinions, there’s absolutely no irony there, is there?

I’ve looked back and I don’t see you speaking any facts, just bemoaning ‘cancel culture’ for possibly threatening to not let you laugh at a sex change joke.

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/mobile.reuters.com/article/amp/idUSKCN24M2QV

[Ian Symes]

That cancel culture in this thread in full: one person saying the scene was fine, one person discussing the scene without really giving a personal opinion, two people discussing the scene and concluding they’d rather it wasn’t there.

[Jonathan Capps]

It’s interesting then that if that’s all that was said, insults were warranted. Insults meant to offend the recipient are used by those that claim to be offended by other people’s opinions, there’s absolutely no irony there, is there?

To be absolutely 100% clear and fair, insults are warranted purely because you’re a proven troll.

[Yaron Ru]

I was talking about cancel culture in general, not in this thread. Maybe you made an assumption and responded accordingly, or maybe you like throwing abuse at people you disagree with, either way, the joke exists, I thought it was funny, and cancel culture sucks and people why are offended by comedy that means no harm or offense need to get off their high horse thinking that they can destroy people and things for saying things that they claim to take offense to.

It’s interesting then that if that’s all that was said, insults were warranted. Insults meant to offend the recipient are used by those that claim to be offended by other people’s opinions, there’s absolutely no irony there, is there?

To be absolutely 100% clear and fair, insults are warranted purely because you’re a proven troll.

[Jonathan Capps]

So you’re arguing with a strawman?

[Yaron Ru]

This is the post I meant to quote.
I can’t seem to edit the post.

That cancel culture in this thread in full: one person saying the scene was fine, one person discussing the scene without really giving a personal opinion, two people discussing the scene and concluding they’d rather it wasn’t there.

[Dave]

Sometimes you’re commissioned, you get cancelled, and then you get commissioned again.

[Yaron Ru]

Switch me on, switch me off… Like some battery operated sex aid.

[si]

Switch me on, switch me off…

Switch him off.

[Dave]

Oh somebody punch him out.

[RickLee84]

I think the Dave era of Dwarf has been highly disappointing. I know people do complain about it but are willing to let things pass or accept certain changes in the show that mean it has to be the way it is, but I just can’t. The show looks more impressive (mostly) on Dave but for me the acting, jokes, some effects, plots and direction of the show to comedy/drama instead of straight comedy have been on a downhill trajectory since Series VIII and it has only on rare occasions managed to climb briefly for me before falling back down again. For a show I absolutely adore, it pains me to see it in this way. I expect everyone to jump on me for saying it, but it’s honestly how I feel. I still keep watching new Dwarf hoping to see something that is funny and reminds me of the glory days and more often than not I come away from it disappointed.

[International Debris]

I agree with most of that to an extent – most of the best Dave scripts feel like they’re still a draft from completion, and the performances are a mixed bag – but I wouldn’t say there’s really been a move towards comedy drama since VIII. BtE, definitely, but one of the biggest criticisms XI and XII got here was the almost complete lack of pathos, making both the universe more silly and the general plots and character motivations less dramatic and more comedic. The Promised Land again has some more dramatic elements, but the three main series have felt to me as much ‘straight comedy’ as any of the Rob era episodes.

[bloodteller]

As someone who’s trans, the sex change joke in The Promised Land didn’t really bother me- for me it was like the Wilma Flinstone conversation in Backwards, where it’s just the characters discussing a hypothetical situation and getting way too into the idea. I can see why it offended people though and I think that’s fine and all, it just personally didn’t upset me really. Finding out the guy who did the music for TPL (Paul Farrer) is a racist and transphobe though was enough to make me not want to watch it ever again in my life though so there’s that

[Ridley]

Finding out the guy who did the music for TPL (Paul Farrer) is a racist and transphobe though was enough to make me not want to watch it ever again in my life though so there’s that

Oh, is this why G&T tweeted about needing Goodall back a while ago?

[Unrumble]

For a show I absolutely adore, it pains me to see it in this way.

I resent this. I resent you reviving my show in this way.

[Hamish]

Thankfully the CC didn’t come for Red Dwarf but this joke did stir them up a bit.

I think you will find Craig Charles has been involved since at least 1987.

That is obviously what he meant right?

[Flap Jack]

All of the Kryten costumes are fine.

[Yaron Ru]

I don’t think this is so much an unpopular opinion as just an opinion, but I think it’s odd how VIII equates Kryten getting naked with Kryten removing his paint and remaining the same shape/build but flesh coloured.

[International Debris]

They did it in a III deleted scene where they’re playing strip poker, and it didn’t work well then. I’m not sure the better quality costume in VIII actually makes it much more worthwhile overall, however. Why would have have a flesh coloured interior that’s relatively easily accessible, and why would he decide to paint his entire feet during the prison’s dedicated toenail painting hour (which in itself suggests far too many questions).

[si]

and why would he decide to paint his entire feet during the prison’s dedicated toenail painting hour

To be fair, that’s such a stupid gag that it always makes me smile.

[Author]

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